Final Fantasy VII : While You Were Sleeping
by The Lionhearted
Summary: While at the Ghost Hotel at the Gold Saucer, Tifa attempts to tell Cloud about her feelings for him. There is just one catch...


Disclaimer - I do not own Final Fantasy VII, so please don't sue me.  
  
Author's Notes - This story takes place after Tifa and Cloud go on their date at the Golden Saucer and then return to the Ghost Hotel.  
  
  
Final Fantasy VII - While You Were Sleeping...  
  
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Tifa walked back to her room after saying goodnight to Cloud. Emotions were running through her like water through a faucet. Her thoughts were "clouded" and she needed some rest. Tifa sat on her bed and looked out the window, letting out a quiet sigh. She had been so close to confessing her feelings to Cloud, but had been interupted by fireworks and lost the nerve. 'Almost...' Tifa thought as she watched the rain begin to pour outside, thunder pounding in the distance. "I should probably rest for a bit... I need to get this out of my head." she said to herself as she laid back, her hands behind her head on the pillow. She then began to drift off, dreaming...  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
Aeris and Cloud...  
Sitting beside eachother at the playground in Sector 7.  
They looked happy, but the look that Cloud gave her was more than enough to keep her wishing.  
  
This young man that she had known since childhood... was it really the same person?  
He seemed so different... but same.  
Stronger, yet in a sence more gentle and wise.  
  
She would tell him things, but he wouldn't remember.  
He would say things and they would remember.  
  
Were they the same memories?  
  
Was this the same Cloud?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Tifa opened her eyes slowly and turned her head to look out the window. 'Still dark' she thought as she pulled the blankets up around her. She closed her eyes again, hoping to once again fall asleep, but her emotions prevented her from doing so... "Cloud..." she said silently. She missed him, and he was only in the next room over. Tifa quickly pushed the bedsheets away and stood up beside the bed. "I'm going to tell him how I feel... I have to." she said alloud as she walked out the door and down the hall towards Cloud's room. She slowly approached the door and reached for the handle, but quickly pulled her hand away in fear. 'No...' she thought. 'I've come this far, and I'm not going to be afraid.' She slowly opened the door and looked in the room. Cloud was laying there on his bed, sleeping soundly. "Cloud..?" she said as she watched him. No response. She slowly walked in and sat on the side of his bed. He looked so calm... so innocent... Watching him like this made her forget for a moment about all of the trouble in the world. "Cloud...?" she said again. Still no response. She didn't want to wake him, but she didn't want to walk away either. She may never have the courage again. 'Fine then...' she thought. 'I'll tell him now.' Tifa ran her right hand through his blonde hair, and smiled.  
  
"Cloud... I've always been alone... I think you have too."  
"Ever since we were children, I've felt a sort of bond with you... It's been getting stronger and stronger through the years."  
"Even when you were gone, I could feel how you were doing..."  
"I knew how you felt... When you were sad, when you were happy..."  
"I wanted to be there when you were in pain, or even on your birthday when no one seemed to care."  
"Yeah,... I remembered your birthday. I always tried to find you, but you always seemed to be moving. I guess its a part of SOLDIER."  
"Did you ever think about me, Cloud? Did you ever think "I wonder how Tifa is? or "How is Tifa doing today?"  
"You probably didn't, but I always thought about you."  
  
Tifa sighed but continued...  
  
"Cloud... are you really "Cloud"?  
"I know you are the same person, but... are you still 'you'?  
"Do you have the same feelings that you did when you were a child? The same innocence and curiosity?"  
"I was such a nieve child... I knew that you wanted to be my friend, and I wanted to be yours, but I was afraid."  
"I was afraid of us being too close."  
"After my mother died and I lost her, I couldn't take it. I didn't want to someday lose you as well."  
  
"Cloud, do you miss your childhood? Do you think we grew up too fast?"  
"I missed you every day after you went to Midgar..."  
"Then that one day by the train station... You knew where you were going, but you seemed so lost... So far away..."  
"You were Cloud, but you seemed like you had lived another life..."  
"It doesn't matter though... You're here now and so am I."  
"Cloud, I... I've loved you for a long time but I've always been too much of a child inside to admit it to you and myself."  
"I'm sorry. I can't even bring myself up to telling you while you're awake."  
  
Tifa kissed his forhead and stood up. "Goodnight, Cloud. Thanks for listening." she said as she walked over to the door and left the room, shutting the door slowly behind her and returning to her room.  
  
All Cloud could do was smile and go back to sleep.  
The thunder outside had kept him up all night. 


End file.
